Encroachers scuffle with LIT team on Dugri Road

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 30

A team of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) and the accompanying police force had to face some tough moments when a few unlawful occupants on about two-acre prime land on Dugri Road in Model Town Extension, Part I, offered resistance during a demolition drive to clear encroachments and pull down recently put up structures. A scuffle ensued and the situation could have taken an ugly turn but for deft handling by the police and LIT officials.

According to the LIT Chairman, Raman Balasubramaniam, who had rushed to the spot after being informed about the situation prevailing at the site of anti-encroachment drive, the structures having been put up recently by the unlawful occupants have been demolished. Further, the occupants, including the jhuggi dwellers, have been asked to present their claim, documents relating to litigation, if any, within a week failing which all of them would be forcibly removed from the Trust land.

The LIT Chairman said a police complaint had also been lodged with the Model Town police calling for action as per law against the kingpin of the encroachers and his accomplices for interfering with official work and grappling with Trust officials who were carrying out their official duty.

The local residents said migrant labour and persons with dubious credentials were living on encroached land with the result incidents of theft, eve-teasing, gambling and drinking had become a routine affair. Illegal dairies, operating in this area in gross violation of orders under which the dairies were shifted out of the residential areas of the city, were the other source of nuisance.

The Trust Engineer, Jagdev Singh, asserted that the illegal occupants on the Trust land had no claim or legal standing. The LIT had issued several notices to the encroachers to clear the government land but they did not heed to the directions. “Now, a period of seven days has been given to them to file their claim or produce documents, if any. All encroachments will be removed and after expiry of the notice period and the trust would regain possession of land which legally belongs to it,” he added.